


The Other Half

by monochromevelyn



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-07
Updated: 2013-12-31
Packaged: 2017-12-28 16:48:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/994233
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/monochromevelyn/pseuds/monochromevelyn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Police officer Aomine Daiki was demoted and stationed at the outskirt of town when he met with the unexpected. Adult AU</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Because 5 is a half of 10. This is a part of Kagaao’s day (10/05) celebration!

It was another slow afternoon in his kiosk; there was hardly anything happening nearby that he had to find muse by balancing pen on his pursed lips. With legs stretched straight on the table, leaning all the way back on the chair, he tried to think what he did wrong in his past life to deserve such fate.

Demoted just because of one silly mistake, he ended up stationed in a small kiosk at the outskirt of town. If only he didn’t just jump in front of those yakuza gang ahead of his team, messing with the raid, the head boss of the gang wouldn’t have gotten away in time. Then of course his boss wouldn’t have gotten mad at him and strip all of the privilege he had as an undercover officer and sent him here for a mundane job. All those adrenaline rush from action packed job he used to have, Aomine missed it. Now the most challenging job he ever got to do was chasing high school dropouts for extorting money from weak youngsters and old women, and that too would be contained within 200 meter radius from his station before the duty falls on another station next to his.

Aomine glanced at the clock on the wall in his ‘barely-an-office’ office and sighed. Rush hour, people and school kids are out on the street and head their way home. Time for him to take care of the traffic and make sure nobody gets killed getting run over by cars and occasional truck that passed by. He picked up a yellow vest, a whistle and a pair of white gloves that hung by the door and left his office.

—

At the darkening orange sky, Aomine wiped the bead of sweats that was formed on his forehead. Sure all he had to do was take care of a zebra crossing and help old people and small children cross the road, but that didn’t mean it was meant to be taken lightly. As much as he hated his current job, he needed to do things perfectly so that his boss would be willing to take him back.

Looking to his left and right, there were no more huge crowds that needed his assistance. He turned his back on the crossing, cracking his neck. But he was glad that he had one last urge for one last look, because there was a guy that crossed the road despite the red sign. The man ignored the incoming truck that shone its high light and honked so loud it could’ve made the dead wake up from the afterlife. When Aomine noticed the white folded cane in the man’s hand, a sudden realization struck him.

In a flick of an eye, Aomine used his panther-like reflex to jump just millimetres away from the trunk and got the man off the road. The truck stopped just a few inches after the zebra crossing, a sure thing that it would’ve definitely run over the person crossing the road. Rolling down the window to show his middle finger, the driver cussed madly at them before speeding off again. All eyes were on them as Aomine found himself on sprawled on top of the red-haired male, with his head on the man’s broad chest and his hands tightly wrapped around his waist. He was quick to get on his feet, and hoist the other male by the arm.

“Are you okay, sir? Please be careful the next time you want to cross the road, you could’ve called me to the other side to get my assis –” Aomine dusted of the tall man’s pants and place the white cane in his hand before straightening himself to face him. His fallen face from worry had sunken at the sight of a familiar face from back in the days, his words trailed off. “Kagami?”

Kagami had an apologetic smile on his face, rubbing the back of his head in the process. “Ah, I’m okay, sorry about that. Oh, and yes, I am Kagami. Do I know you mister officer?”

“You forgot how I sound like?” Aomine let go of his arm. “The only one who can beat me is me. Remember that?”

The redhead snickered. “That Ahomine from Touou? I thought you’re working in Tokyo, undercover police and stuff. That’s what I heard from Kuroko. Wow, it's been a while since I last saw you.”

“What happened, Kagami?” Aomine’s tone dropped a notch, his concern was palpable. “How long has it been since you last saw anything?”

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

"So how long have you been like this?" 

Aomine uncapped two beer bottles, making sure he placed it in Kagami’s hand before settling himself on the couch. Stacks of unopened boxes at one corner and opened boxes that were half unpacked at another, Aomine glanced wildly around the old house before his eyes landed on the redhead.

"Your sight, I mean." 

Choosing to sit cross legged on the floor in his house, Kagami turned to look in his direction, an action that served as nothing but a hollow gaze.

"You can say blind, Aomine, it won’t kill me," the redhead tried to hide the sadness as the word escaped his mouth with a breathy chuckle. "Well, not anymore. I’ve come to live with it. I’ve been blind for about a year now." 

"How?" was all Aomine managed to come up with, stomach twisting sick at the foul fate that fell upon someone who was supposed to have and deserved a better future. It was true that they weren’t the best of friend when they were young, but he didn’t exactly hate the guy to laugh or be happy at the redhead’s misfortune. Kagami was a good guy, and good guy shouldn’t end up this way.

"Occupational hazard. Inspection of a burnt site turned wrong. Some chemical remained on top of unaffected shelf fell onto my face, got into my eyes. The rest is history.” 

From the way Kagami stop to brood and pause at every short sentence, Aomine knew it was still hard for him to share his pain. Regardless of the childish feud they used to have, their rivalry from their younger days, he knew that none of it mattered anymore. Aomine reached out, a firm squeeze on Kagami’s shoulder conveyed pretty much everything that he felt, the unspoken truth. The redhead placed his hand atop of Aomine’s, giving him a squeeze of understanding. A small smile enlightened his face, before he took his hand away to reach out for a piece of bread in a plastic bag on the oddly shaped coffee table. Its edges was taped with thick grey duct taped multiple of times, with failed attempt to mask it using brown colored paint to match the color of the table.

"By the way, thank you for buying me food and beer. When I lived with Tatsuya for a while, he didn’t even let me come near it," Kagami swallowed a large gulp, setting it on down on the table and fumbled in trying to get rid of the plastic wrapping.

“I bet you’ve seen the coffee table. I don’t know how bad it looks like but when I moved in here, those who helped with the stuff asked a lot about the table. Tatsuya taped it because he scared I might injure myself from the sharp edges,” chuckled the redhead. “I should’ve told him I’m not a kid, I’m just blind. I won’t get hurt from sharp edges on a coffee table. I used to be a fire fighter, for god sake.”

Aomine continued observing him until he triumphed, biting the tuna bread with a glorious smile. It would’ve hurt his pride if Aomine had helped him. He smiled to himself too, reaching out one in the plastic bag for himself and slid down the couch to sit on the floor with Kagami.

“Tatsuya, as in that pretty dude in Yosen that was always with Murasakibara?”

“Yeah, they are inseparable, aren’t they,” Kagami popped in the last bite for the bread in his hand and took another one. Aomine was glad he bought a lot when they stopped by the convenient store. He vaguely remembered that the male was a big eater.

“He visited Tatsuya a lot when he lived with me, when I first started to lose my sight. Mainly because Tatsuya is his boyfriend, but he was nice to me too. God, how troublesome I was. I beat up my doctor, trashed the hospital ward and my house, took my anger out on everyone and almost gotten myself killed by walking across a busy road hoping to get run over a truck. Then Alex came all the way from LA and beat some sense into me. Literally.”

“Ohh I remember that busty blonde. Damn she has nice body.” Aomine stopped munching, glancing sharply at Kagami. “Oi Kagami, you didn’t try to kill yourself just now, did you?”

“No no, I didn’t. I didn’t hear a beeping sound that a traffic light usually made when it’s okay to cross so I just crossed it. I heard the honk but I couldn’t gauge the distance.”

“Sorry about that,” the blue haired male resumed eating of what he considered as his dinner that night. “Some brats meddled with it because they hate me so now to work harder when it comes to traffic. I’m gonna catch those bastards and kill them.”

“You can’t kill them, Ahomine,” chuckled the redhead, helping himself with the third bread. “You’re a police officer.”

“But I can catch and torture them. The better try hard and outrun me,” a devilish grin surfaced itself on Aomine’s face. He was sure that Kagami could hear his malicious intent from his tone because the man shook his head and smiled too.

Aomine stayed late that night; they did a lot of catching up that was mostly about Kagami. The man moved away from Tokyo because he didn’t want to burden his sworn brother Himuro and disturb his life. He moved into his parents’ old house he used to live in before they went to America because he wanted to live alone. The older male was worried at first, but after convincing him that he had several relatives staying nearby that could look after him, he faltered.

Kagami was simply trying to let his old life go, and build a new one in a new environment.

“Although I’m aiming for a clean slate, I guess meeting you today wasn’t such a bad thing,” a smile carved on Kagami’s face as he sent him off to the front door. He still had to feel his surrounding, still in the adjustment phase in the old house he newly moved into. A small frustration built itself in the pit of Aomine’s stomach. Done wearing his shoes, he stood up straight to level their eyes, looking at an empty gaze that bored into his face.

“Kagami. Give me your phone.”

“What for?” Despite the question, Kagami felt his pants pocket and produced a red flip phone.

Aomine snatched it, assaulting the keys with overwhelming intensity and closed it. He reached out by Kagami’s side for his hand, placing the phone on his palm and folding his fingers to have a firm grip over the object.

“I’ve saved my number in there. Speed dials number 2, if you don’t mind.”

“I’d have to readjust Tatsuya’s speed dials number later then. You really don’t have to do that, but thank you.”

“Don’t thank me. It’s a police officer’s duty to help a civilian in need.”

“Erm, Aomine,” the redhead mumbled hesitantly, scratching the back of his head using the other hand. “My hand. You can let go now.”

For a moment, Aomine didn’t realize that he was still holding on to Kagami’s hand; his long slender fingers tightly wrapping over the calloused digits, so fair and pure yet so rough and overused. He let go, a shade of pink crept its way on his cheek. At that moment he was glad that Kagami couldn’t see.

“Sorry. Gotta go now. It’s late. I guess I’ll see you around. Good night.”

“Be safe. Good night.”

——

‘Don’t thank me. It’s a police officer’s duty to help a civilian in need.’

Aomine turned to face ahead as he sighed, walking away under the moonlit street, hundreds of stars scattered up in the clear night sky.

He knew he wouldn’t do that for just any civilian.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

Aomine’s day was never the same like it used to be after he found out Kagami had moved to the outskirt of town, to the place he was stationed at. Three months down the line, most of the time outside work was spent with Kagami. Of course Kagami was sad and mad at first; gleam of disappointment reflected in his black, hollow eyes because of the pity Aomine showed. But over the days, Aomine proved himself more as a companion during free time more than a babysitter like Himuro did, being there like how a friend should be, Kagami had accepted him better in his life.

In the morning, Aomine would walk the other male to the local bakery where he worked at. Losing his sight didn’t mean he’d lose his talent in cooking and baking. If anything; Kagami’s enhanced sense of taste made it better and the bakery he worked at became an instant hit among school girls. He was now the cute blind baker in town, adored by young and old ladies for his honey sweet charm and angelic smile. Aomine was jealous; he wanted the attention of young girls in tight shirts and skimpy skirts too but all he ever attracts was bad boys with ugly dyed hair and piercings; a bunch of gangsters wannabe.

After work, Aomine picked him up and they would hang out at a basketball court where Kagami would sit on the bench and listen to Aomine play; the sound of ball bouncing against the floor, banging against the headboard and rolling around the rim before passing through the net for a score. Sometimes Aomine would jump just for Kagami; the squeaky sound of his shoes and a sharp thud of ball against the floor as he made a dunk made the redhead smile widened for just a little bit more.

Then he would drop Kagami off at his house before heading home. Sometimes they’d eat dinner together at a ramen stand, sometimes they’d take away burgers from Kagami’s favourite burger joint, sometimes Kagami would fix something simple for them both. Either way, they’d religiously spent time together every night and that somehow never bothered Aomine at all. It was like getting back together with an old friend; although they were more like arch enemy than a friend back then. They’d still get into the loop of silly bickers and stupid fights, just a little toned down because they were both adults now. But that was how they interact with each other and Aomine didn’t want to have it any other way. It was way better than awkward silences and meaningless chatters he had with his colleagues.

Stepping up the pace along the pavement, Aomine did his best to get to the bakery as soon as possible. A school dropout kid attempted to snatch an old lady’s handbag near his little kiosk by the road and there was no way he would let it slip away. It wasn’t a high speed chase like he used to do when he worked in Tokyo; but it did make his breathe ragged and uneven when he finally caught the culprit. The boy couldn’t be more than seventeen years old, with cheap blonde dye on his hair and multiple piercings on his ears with unbearable spiteful attitude. Aomine almost punched him the face before taking the boy to the station. That little drama took time past his working hour and now he was late in picking up Kagami from the bakery.

Bells chimed as Aomine pushed the door open, he then loomed over the young girl at the counter. It wasn’t his intention to terrorise anybody, but his overwhelming height and the intensity of his gaze made it seemed like he was out to murder people. He exhaled slowly and cleared his throat, forcing out a toothy grin in an attempt to appear friendlier. Or at least less terrifying.

“Erm, is Kagami still around?”

The girl was slightly intimidated but she hid it well with a smile. She shook her head. “Kagami-kun left a while ago. He left a message saying that he’d be waiting for Aomine-san at the basketball court.

“What, he went alone? That place is two blocks and one main road away!”

Aomine didn’t realize he raised his voice loud enough to get the head chef peeking through a small window that connects the kitchen to the bakery. He shot the old man an apologetic look and nodded a thank you to the girl before hopping out to his next destination.

 

Aomine sprinted for the third time today and it definitely struck him that he didn’t have that physical attributes of a seventeen year old anymore. He cursed himself, making a mental note along the way to at least play basketball seriously more often to get in shape. Clutching on the green hexagonal wire fence around the public basketball court, he was catching his breath when the sight of a bunch of mean looking teenagers huddling over a person that was sitting on the bench; taunting and mocking him, passing ball over his head and shouting incoherent nonsense at each other, at the person they were making fun of. The person with a tuft of spiky red hair on his head. Kagami.

Aomine could feel the blood in his vein boiled.

The floor could’ve cracked and split open to reveal the core of the earth from every heavy steps that Aomine took. Steps that was heavy with fury and animosity.

He grabbed one of the boys by the shoulder with bone-breaking intensity and unleashed the demon that was strapped in a deep dark pit of his heart; the one he vowed never to come forth after getting into the police academy.

“Hey kiddo. Picking on a disabled person makes your being lower than a cockroach.”

It was like throwing a lit-up cigarette butt on a burnable trash.

Forty five minutes and one hundred and thirty six goals later, all the six pubescent aged boys sprawled exhausted on the floor; decimated by the beast without mercy. Aomine was beyond drained from all the run earlier, but wrath kept him standing tall with the ball spinning on his finger.

Aomine crossed three bodies to get to the leader of the gang (he had the urge to step on every one of these insolent fools right on the abdomen, but he refrained himself), squatting next to his body while slamming the ball next to his head with such overwhelming intensity the boy cringed. He could see fear through the shabby, dishevelled long hair covering his face after that five against one match.

“Do you see that blind man you tried to bully there? I was beaten by him before he became like that. It happened once, but he beat me regardless,” Aomine barked as he pulled the boy by the shirt. “So don’t you dare disrespect him. Apologize or I’ll make sure you never see basketball in the same light again.”

 

“Come on Aomine, how much longer are you going to sulk about it? I was the one who was bullied, you know.”

In the living room of Kagami’s house where orange color of the sky spilled over, Aomine silent treatment persisted. He was one burger away from an exploded stomach, but he continued protesting, eating the easiest take away menu that both of them would agree without further discussion.

“I know that’s your fourth burger. Put it down before you it hurts you,” Kagami calmly wrapped his fingers on Aomine’s wrist, staring at him with unseeing eyes, concern spilling over his tone. After a long pause, Aomine let his ego down as well as the burger.

“You shouldn’t have gone there without me,” sighed Aomine onto Kagami’s shoulder as he leaned on the man sitting next to him, no attempt whatsoever to mask his worries and frustration. Aomine was breaking down. And it was okay. Because it was Kagami. “The world is filled with bad people.”

“That’s why we need a police like you.”

Aomine pursed his lips and a 'hmpph' to let Kagami understand his dissatisfaction. 

“Now now Aomine, I’ve got something that could cheer you up,” said Kagami as he lightly tapped Aomine’s cheek. A smile brightened up his face regardless of the infamous double eyebrows.

“I’ve set you up on a date with the cutest girl in town.”

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

"Aomine-san?" A voice in soft pitch struck him like a needle prick to his eardrums. "Aomine-san, are you tired? You’ve been brooding for a while now."

The girl had an apologetic look all over her face, her sorry self turned the curve from earlier on her lips upside down. Aomine tried to salvage the situation by forcing a cheerful smile, rubbing the back of his neck in the process as he twirl another forkful of spaghetti. 

“Maybe a bit. Paper work,” he said simply, dumping the tomato based food in his mouth. Sauce dripped by his lips without him noticing. “So, uh, you have known Kagami since childhood? That’s, uh, nice. How was he like – before he went all American-ish and has to add an awkward ‘-desu’ in his sentence when he’s addressing to the elderly?”

"Ah, Aomine-san, there’s something…here," she pointed the spot on her lips hesitantly. Aomine was quick to swipe it using the back of his hand to get rid of it. He knew fine dining was not meant for him. 

“Aomine-san really like Kagami-kun, huh?”

“Haa? That stupid redhead? No way,” Aomine scowled in disgust.

A small laughter escaped the brunette’s lips. “But this is the fifth time you mentioned his name, Aomine-san.”

._._._.

The couple stood in front of a small, traditional family house at the end of the neighbourhood street under the night sky. The stars were pretty, the cool breeze made them forget the blazing sun during the day. The lean, petite girl in white summer dress stared endearingly at Aomine, smiling shyly at the the blue haired male.

“Thank you for dinner, Aomine-san,” a light tinge of pink spread across her cheek as she tip-toed and held on to his arms, the sight of those beautiful hazelnut eyes fixed on him. “I had fun tonight.” She made a little jump to reach up just for their lips to brush lightly against each other, hers soft against his chapped lips. The swift action didn’t catch the tall man by surprise, but he was entranced nevertheless. “But I don’t think you did. Your mind is too full of someone else to notice me.”

“What, it’s no – ” Aomine was taken aback and tried to reach out for her but she was already pushing through the gate to get inside.

“Send my regards to Kagami-kun later, okay?” her smile was the last thing Aomine saw as she disappeared behind the large wooden gate.

._._.

Kagami was excited when he opened the door to let Aomine in. He’d know it was him; it was a routine they both had come to appreciate, only that it was a lot later than usual. By this time usually he’d be at the door to leave, not to come in. The bickering never stopped, but they’d always made up afterwards; Kagami was too forgiving while he couldn’t stay mad at Kagami for too long. Aomine stepped into the house and made himself comfortable on the couch; lounging on it with his legs straightened on the modified coffee table. Kagami trailed behind and sat next to him.

“So how was the date?” asked Kagami as he dropped all the formalities of greeting, eagerness in his voice was audible. He was the one setting up this date; she was the girl that worked at the bakery where Kagami was working at, she saw Aomine one too many times and had a crush on him. The girl approached Kagami and asked his help to set them up for a date and as the angel he was to everybody else, he got her the date she wanted.

“Well, she did kiss me,” said Aomine nonchalantly as he dug his ear with a pinky finger, looking at what could pass as excitement escalating through Kagami’s being before he continued. “ – but I think she turned me down.”

“Huh,” Kagami’s smile faltered, a frown took over his face, probably trying to think of the possibility as to why it happened. There was a glimpse of a curl Aomine might have imagined. He turned to look unseeingly at Aomine, one that looked like he was judging Aomine. “Did you do something to upset her?”

“Haa? I’m not that desperate to do anything to her – whatever you’re thinking I did, okay?” Aomine defended himself, hurt by the accusation. “We just had dinner and I walked her back to her family house.”

“But she wanted the date,” probably detecting the swing of emotion in Aomine’s tone, Kagami spoke in low voice. “Why would she turn you down?”

Your mind is too full of someone else to notice me.

Aomine shook the thought and her words away. He yawned, stretching rudely, purposely pushing Kagami in the process. “Who cares,” said Aomine, avoiding the subject as he switched his position to lie on the couch, leaving Kagami to sit only on the tiny edge of it. “I’m too tired to go home, let me crash here for tonight. I’m off duty tomorrow so no need for a clean pair of uniform.”

Aomine saw how Kagami was taken aback by the idea, but he was quick to recoil from it. It was Aomine’s first time staying over after all. No matter how tired he had gotten before, he would always go back to his apartment. He knew Kagami wouldn’t mind. But he would. Today was different though – he was too tired to care. It was an eventful day; chasing after a mugger, running past two blocks only to witness Kagami being made fun of by a bunch of cocky amateurs, beating them mercilessly to teach them a lesson. Also a date Kagami had set up for him, the one he didn’t need, but hadn’t had the heart to turn it down because of Kagami’s forceful eagerness over it.

Kagami scratched his cheek, he obviously had been putting the stress on his feet to avoid from falling off the couch because of Aomine’s sudden change of posture. “You can, but the couch is too old you can feel the wood beneath all the cushions. Your back is going to hurt in the morning.”

“I don’t mind,” replied Aomine lazily as he threw his arm over his eyes, blocking the stream of light from entering his eyes.

“No, you’re a guest. Sleep on my bed, and I’ll sleep here,” said Kagami with solid determination.

“You just said that it’d cause your back to hurt to sleep in this couch. Like I would let you do that in my stead.”

Kagami snapped. “Why, because you think I’m a Disney princess that is in need of your protection?”

Aomine sprung up, his eyes shot open. “I didn’t say any of that.”

“Well you might as well say it. You’re acting like it.”

“Yeah a six feet tall Disney princess with no brain? That’s about right.”

“How about you – an insensitive narcissistic Disney prince, and a stubborn one at that? Yeah you’d make one fine prince,” growled Kagami. Aomine figured that if he could roll his eyes, he would. “The helpless princess would be all over you because oh you so heroic, so handsome. Wait until she sees the real you. The annoying, arrogant an – ”

“Stop raising your voice, it’s midnight,” hushed Aomine as he pressed his finger on Kagami’s lips. He saw a flash of quiver on Kagami’s lips but Aomine might have imagined it. He sighed in defeat. “Look, if you don’t want me here, just say it. I’m going home.”

Kagami grabbed him by the wrist and held it in desperation. “That’s not what I mean!”

“Then what do you suggest – I don’t want you to sleep on this couch as much as you don’t want to sleep on your bed. The only option left is me going back to my apartment so I can sleep on my bed and you on yours.”

Kagami stayed still in silence for while, his sturdy fingers were still firmly wrapped around Aomine’s wrist. He was staring at it, feeling the warmth of Kagami’s grip against his skin when a sudden jerk of movement yanked his hand, breaking his trance. Kagami stood up, and he was looking at Aomine like he was waiting for him to do the same.

“I’ve got an idea.”

.-.-.

“Hey Kagami?”

“Yeah?” answered Kagami groggily, trying his hardest to stay conscious for Aomine’s sake.

On the other hand, Aomine that was incredibly tired a moment ago now was wide awake. His heart was pounding; blood was rushing in his ears and cold sweat breaking on his forehead as though he had just came back from running for miles. He dared not to look at anything else but the ceiling. The back of Kagami that was pressing along the length of his arm felt feverish to Aomine, and somehow it made his face warm too. This was the last thing Aomine wanted to happen. Because they couldn’t get over the argument over who gets to sleep in the couch and who doesn’t, Kagami insisted that they both sleep on the bed. He literally turned a blind eye and deafened himself to Aomine’s protest, shoved him in the bathroom and threw him a change of clothes and a towel. Kagami was half asleep beside the bathroom door when he finished taking a shower, but still conscious enough to grab his arm and pulled him towards the bed, then locked the door so he couldn’t escape and sleep on the couch. If the situation was taken out of context, it’d pretty much illustrate how forward Kagami was in this whole situation.

Except he wasn’t aware of the things he was doing.

Aomine wanted to tell him that this wasn’t a good idea, but he took too long to answer. It made Kagami wrestled against the sheet and struggled to prop himself up, glancing at him with unseeing eyes of his. “Aomine, what’s wrong?” He was genuinely concerned.

Panicked, Aomine grabbed Kagami’s shoulder and pulled him back to lie on the bed. “N, nothing. Just go back to sleep.”

Kagami’s head hit the pillow and his sleepy voice was back. “But you called my name.” The bed rattled as he rolled on his back, shifting his position from facing away to face Aomine. His face was way too close that he could feel Kagami’s breath on his skin, making him flushed. The redhead was oblivious though, not just because of the fact that he couldn’t see, but because he was too sleepy to realize the nearly nonexistent personal space between them. “Why would you call my name if you don’t want to talk to me?”

His mind had stripped bare as it spiralled into nothingness thanks to their close proximity. “I – I was just about to comment how old and, and ugly this bed is.”

A curl formed on the redhead’s lips but his eyes stayed shut. “Hmmm really? I thought you’re going to apologize for calling me a princess with no brain…oh… but the mattress is new and comfortable…I took it with me from Tokyo.”

Kagami was right. It was comfortable, the thick mattress wrapped with cool cotton bed sheet and a large blanket, large enough to cover them both without each of them having to wrestle for it; was the kind of bed he’d fall deep into slumberland within seconds if he wasn’t too conscious about the person he was sleeping next to. He just hummed his agreement and hoped that Kagami had drifted asleep so he could slip off and get to the couch. His heart was pounding hard, there would be no sleeping for him if he was to stay this way all night with Kagami. Tough luck for Aomine; Kagami threw his hand over his chest and had it linger there, as if he could read his mind.

“Hey Aomine,” Kagami muttered in his sleep.

“Yeah?”

“I’m sorry I called you annoying… narcissistic…I was trying to make you mad…” he slurred, smacked his lips a few time and groaned. For a moment there, Aomine thought he was done talking and already sleeping. But then he started talking again. “..but you really … handsome. Any princess should be glad to have you…I know I would… At least I think you are handsome, since we were in high school, when I was still capable of seeing you…” Aomine felt his heart skipped a beat. “I just don’t want to say it out loud because you’re too..too…arr…”

He muttered gibberish for a moment and this time he fell asleep for real. 

Aomine placed on of his hand on top of Kagami’s on his chest, while another tried to rub consciousness away from his face. He was tired. He needed sleep. Yet Kagami sleep-talking was messing with his head and it made him awake. His brain kept on repeating the same word, over and over again like an annoying buzzes of bees; Kagami, Kagami, Kagami. His smiles flashed through Aomine’s inner eyes; his stupid grin at the mention of basketball, his satisfactory smirk as he won over another customer’s heart with his baked goods, the sad smile he quickly hid behind a forceful one whenever someone felt sorry over his misfortune.

Your mind is too full of someone else to notice me.

Aomine shoved his mind and feelings away, gritted his teeth and forced his eyes to shut tight; hoping to get some sleep tonight.

-.-.-

He wasn’t sure what woke him up, but Kagami felt a surge of emotion as his eyes fluttered open; a blissful one. He could feel the warmth from the calloused hand that was somehow intertwined his on his stomach, a muscular leg that tangled over his beneath the blanket, head that was heavy on his shoulder. He didn’t have to see to know who it was. From the sound of him snoring, Kagami was fairly sure that Aomine was still asleep before he buried his face on the other male’s hair. It smelled like him; the strong scent of sweat mixed with a tinge of cool air at night, and a faint scent of lavender from his shampoo. Kagami wondered if his hair was still the same as he remembered; midnight blue cut far too short, but it was the kind of haircut that accentuated his sharp features.

Kagami wished that they need not to wake up. He wanted to stay like this with Aomine for a little longer, where they didn’t have to have a stupid squabble about everything. Though with that, he almost felt normal again, as any other human being would have treated him if it wasn’t because of his blindness. Kagami hated the way everyone acted around him; like he was a fragile doll in need of a constant protection and shielding from bad things in this world. He was robbed of his sight, but he didn’t stop being the old Kagami. Aomine sometimes slipped into it too, hovering too protectively over him, but Kagami would poke him, they would have a fight, and soon enough, they were back to normal.

Concentrating, Kagami tried to make out what time it was. Sound of cars bustling at the main road nearby wasn’t audible, and the birds had yet to sing the chirpy song as they did every morning. He still had the time to appreciate Aomine’s presence by his side. Somewhere along the way, Kagami developed a sense of attachment towards Aomine.

A feeling he couldn’t quite explain.

Anticipating Aomine in front of his door every morning, walking side by side as Aomine dropped him off at the bakery and picked him up after work, listening to the sound of a ball bouncing against the hard concrete as Aomine dribbled across the court and shot it through the hoop, and eating dinner together with him – those simple everyday things they did together became a precious part of his daily life. But for some reason, Aomine never stayed over at his place. He wondered why sometimes, but it was better if he didn’t know the reason. Perhaps he had a girlfriend, or at least a girl he was sleeping with, that was secretly waiting for him at home; the one he never brought up in any of their conversations. It had to be. He was a handsome man with a stable job; a man of such disposition would make a wonderful resume as a husband. He recalled the time when girls came to watch their matches back in the days to support him, a band of girls from Touou dubbing themselves as Aomine’s fanclub. It was impossible to think no girl was chasing him up until now. It could be the reason why the date he had set up failed.

Kagami buried his nose deeper into the lock of hairs, not minding the tickle he felt on his face. He ran his thumb over the back of Aomine’s hand, trying to remember the feeling of touching Aomine’s skin, every little detail of it by heart. Truthfully, Kagami felt uneasy when he agreed to it. He wanted to keep Aomine by his side. During that brief moment he had to consider in lending a hand to the girl, they days they had together flashed by his inner eyes. He imagined how different it would be afterwards, after Aomine had gotten himself a girl friend. The time they spend each other would slowly dwindle, and soon enough, there would be no room for Kagami in Aomine’s life. He would date her, marry her, and build a family with her. Who was Kagami to be in the picture? Kagami balled fists on his sides until his knuckles turned white. He dreaded it. But he wanted the best for his dear friend, and he said yes.

He was too happy last night when Aomine told him the girl turned him down that it came out as a shock on his face.

The alarm on the side table went blasting throughout the room that very moment, and it made Aomine groaned in annoyance. He threw his body over Kagami’s; burying himself deeper in the crook of Kagami’s neck, hugging him tighter as one would do to a bolster. Kagami went rigid, he held his breath, color crept on his cheeks. The vapour of his breath falling upon Kagami’s skin made him shudder. His muscle relaxed after he exhaled the whole content of his lungs.

“Oi Aomine,” said Kagami plainly.

No reaction.

Kagami raised his voice up a notch. “Aomine, it’s already morning. I have to go to work.”

Aomine’s chest rumbled with words he tried to spout but failed, of which Kagami couldn’t make any sense out of it. He propped himself up and with Aomine’s head still severely attached to him, now sliding onto his chest. “Aomine, if you don’t wake up on the count of three, I’m gonna pinch your nose. Hard. ” Aomine didn’t even try to get up as Kagami counted, so he did just what he promised. His hand was blindly touching Aomine’s face in the search of his nose, pinching it without holding back and tweaked it to left and right until the other male low growl vibrated throughout his being. He was awake. Aomine shot up too fast; he didn’t see Kagami’s face hovered over his that their forehead collided, their lips brushed.

At that moment everything seemed to fade out – the sound of one blasphemy of an alarm clock, birds morning chatter by the window, even the rumble of his bottomless stomach. The unexpected softness that padded his lips froze him to the core, blood rushed to his face. His instinct was telling him Aomine was caught off guard by it too. The bed creaked as Aomine jumped off in haste after the trance was broken. Kagami could imagine Aomine opening and closing his mouth as he tried to lighten up the awkward atmosphere; part angry, part apologetic for the accidental kiss, stumbling over his words again and again. By any chance did Aomine become embarrassed by it too? No way, that was not the Aomine that he knew.

“I – I’m gonna use the bathroom first!” was all Aomine managed to mutter clear enough for Kagami to understand before he unlocked the bedroom door and stormed out.

Kagami rubbed all the remaining sleepiness away off his feverish face, shaking his head reminiscing the eventful morning for the day that was yet to start. He had a feeling that it was going to be a good day.

He couldn’t have been more wrong.

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

Hovering his hands over the freshly baked croissant on the cooling rack, Kagami could tell that it was ready to be served; to be arranged neatly on a tray and put on the display. It was past five in the afternoon and it wouldn’t be long until another surge of customer, mainly adults that just got off work coming in the bakery to buy bread as snacks for their family. In the afternoon the bakery was packed with hungry school kids, especially girls. Kagami didn’t know all of them, but they were nice to him whenever he ducked out of the kitchen for a while to avoid the hot and humid environment. Living in a small community environment was nice, and he understood now why his old man loved the place.

The day went on smoothly. He had extra order for the day; preparing 100 pieces of melon bread for kids on a school trip, but it didn’t make him tire in the slightest. He was strangely in high spirits since morning. The flashback from the accidental kiss that happened in the morning would pop up in his mind once in a while, and it made Kagami smile internally. If only he could see how Aomine look like as he stuttered when he apologized. It would have been funny if Aomine was flustered. Kagami waved the thought off. He must have kissed hundreds of women in his 30 years of life, accidentally kissing a man wouldn’t be all that memorable to him. On the other hand, Kagami only lust after basketball and food. He didn’t share his kisses with that many people, he hadn’t done it in years and none of those people were men. But he liked the way Aomine’s lips brushed against his, and he d **i** dn’t mind doing it again. But their friendship – this brotherhood he had with Aomine was too precious to be destroyed by his selfish need of romantic involvement that might fall short sooner or later. No, Kagami wouldn’t want to take such risk.

This was a thought he should keep only to himself.

The clock was ticking, the number of customers bustling in and out the door slowly dwindled. Kagami’s shift ended an hour ago yet Aomine was yet to arrive for their customary visit to the basketball court, then walk side by side all the way home. Sitting on a stool in the kitchen, cleaning his utensils as he wait, a loud buzz of siren pierced through the street like a hurricane. It became more faint by the second before completely disappear in the distance. Moments later the store’s door jingled in haste as a person came in, completely out of breath, calling out his name. He recognized the voice; it was Aomine’s partner at the police kiosk he was stationed at, a friendly man Aomine described as a man with really small eyes and beaky nose, one who could use some extreme exercise. He sounded desperate, his voice was thundering, and as words tumbled out, everything else faded in black.

“Kagami-san, Aomine is dying.”

—————

_10 hours earlier…._

“Aomine-kun, I shall head out for patrol now,” said the oversized man in his early thirty with hair parted midway as he reeled an old bicycle halfway out the door to Aomine who was sitting at his desk trying to finish off yesterday’s incidence report. It looked like the one from the fifties; high handlebar and large tyres with dull grey lustre peeling off, revealing rust at some parts on the body and the tyre rims of the bicycle. Aomine was scared it’d crumble at any moment, especially when his partner rode it. Not a thing he could say out loud though; he needed this man’s review to get back his old job one day. “Please don’t leave this place unattended to chase after some juvenile delinquents. There’s some pretty important document in this place.”

Aomine let out a half smile, hiding his annoyance. “Yes, senpai.”

The man nodded him off and disappeared soon after. 

Aomine continued typing away his report, cracking his neck every five minutes, impatient to get over this report with. When he was finally done, he stretched rudely in his seat, lounging back and put up his legs on the desk. It had been a slow morning. Nobody dropped by to complain or ask for direction. Even the noisy housewives that simply drop by on their way back from market to rattle off about their daughters weren’t here today. It was unfortunate for him, getting caught by his partner on his way to his apartment from Kagami’s workplace. His day off wasn’t a day off anymore; his superior wanted the report on the mugger he caught yesterday and they wanted it as soon as possible. Now that he was done, he needed to wait till his senior partner come back before he could leave.

Leaning his head back on the chair as he threw his arm over his eyes, the thought from this morning came back to him. He was too sleepy to think straight. He remembered having wrapped his arms around something warm and sturdy, it was hard to let go something so comfortable. And then Kagami’s voice like a melodious stream of music assaulted his ears made him aware of everything, that it made him jump, that it made him raised his head in haste and –

And unwittingly kissed Kagami.

Aomine lightly slapped himself. He was a man. Kagami was a man. They were friends, and it should remain that way. No matter how deep the feeling he bore for the red haired man, he would never be able to express it properly. No, it was more like he couldn’t. He was never good at expressing himself, and he didn’t want Kagami to think that he was doing this out of pity. Kagami hadn’t been angry about it, but he didn’t bring the kiss up afterwards so he might be mad after all. Aomine made a point to apologize later this evening, but with intention to leave out the portion where he had to relief the tension on one particular body part of his in Kagami’s bathroom this morning.

The sound of motorcycles rumbling outside ruined Aomine’s plan for a little nap. It wasn’t coming from one or two, it sounded more than half a dozen; sounded so close as though it was parked in front of the kiosk, the deafening drumming sound from the engines splitting the silence of a mid-Friday morning in the neighbourhood. Aomine got up from his chair when half a fraction second later something hard hit the window and the sliding door, crashing it inwardly, shattered glasses were flying all over the place. Predicting the glasses’ course of motion, Aomine ducked without hesitation. There was a brief moment of silence and Aomine stood up straight to analyze the damage. A bunch of men dressed up in black fake leather jacket with lame metal studs let themselves in through the destroyed sliding door into the small kiosk, holding on to baseball bats and lead pipes. One of them carried something that looked like a katana, sheathed behind his back while another was holding on to a small device in his hand, half-hidden behind his friend. One of them stepped up and pushed his shades up his blond hair dyed in cheap yellow dye.

“Are you Officer Aomine Daiki?” asked the boy who couldn’t be more than twenty years old, his jaw ruminating a gum narrowed his eyes as he looked at Aomine.

Aomine folded his fists by his sides, poised for some action.

“What if I am?”

The boy turned to look at his gang members, exchanging meaningful smile with each other. His gaze was back to Aomine moments later, bouncing the bat against his palm.

“Good. Nice to meet you Officer Aomine,” he spat the gum remnant on the floor and smirked. “Now be a good boy and come with us. Our boss has something to talk to you.”

A feral grin escaped Aomine’s mouth. “Make me.”

The blue haired officer swiftly jumped over the desk and ducked in time to avoid a swinging baseball bat. He punched the boy in the gut twice, and delivered the final blow using the back of his hand against the back of his neck. The others who were standing on guard got on their feet too; one was striking a lead pipe from above and below. Aomine parried the blow while kicking one man coming from behind him, grabbing the pipe during the enemy’s moment of lax before kicking him in the chest. Two men were coming from his sides; and they were exchanging blows alternately with him using bare hands. Amidst the intense fight, a punch managed to land on Aomine’s face as he avoided a kick from another motorcycle rider on his chest. The blurry moments clouding his eyes, the after effect of the blow took too long to clear out that a punch landed on his stomach and a kick behind his knees made him fell off his feet. Something that was metallic cold touched his back. A split seconds later his body was trembling; rigidity braced him as a sudden surge of high voltage electricity ran its course through his body.

Aomine knew he was losing this battle. As the curtain of consciousness drawing close, Kagami’s smile; the one that could make crying baby smile and iron-hearted man’s heart melt, a smile that was too precious to him, the only thing he wanted to protect, was the only thing that flashed before his eyes.

———

_“Aomine was attacked by a gang of motorcycle rider that was hired by a local politician. Apparently the mugger he caught the day before was the man’s son and he wanted to clear out the boy’s name before any of this escaped to the media and jeopardize his own name. The kiosk was destroyed in a fire. They went overboard when they took Aomine away somewhere else and continued torturing him to shut his mouth on the matter. The police managed to trace him and got there before more of his blood were shed. Even as such, at that time, Aomine was too badly broken and bruised he was hanging on a thin thread for his dear life.”_

It had been two weeks since the incident happened. Aomine’s senior partner had filled him in with the information regarding Aomine’s assault, and Kagami was thankful for his presence. Aomine was in a comatose state in the ICU; pint after pint blood transfused into him to regain all that was lost, plates and screws were driven into his frame, he was beaten so badly more than ten bones in his body were fractured.

But that wasn’t the worst part.

“Aomine,” said Kagami softly as he took his usual seat by the bed side, putting down a small bag next to the side table he carried along when he visited the other male in the hospital. “Good morning.”

He waited for a response that never came. It never did for the past days he had woken up from the coma. Kagami couldn’t witness how devastated Aomine’s condition was when he was in the ICU even though he was there, and he dreaded it. But the sound of machines beeping and pumping seeped through to his core; at every interval between the beep of Aomine’s heart, Kagami struggled for his breath. After the initial shock, the first three days were stretched to what felt like eternity. When Aomine managed to pull through, Kagami could finally catch his breath again without having to actively think before doing it. But Aomine’s silent treatment to him was uncalled for.

Still, Kagami tried his best to lighten up the situation. He needed to be the bigger person now, just like Himuro did when he had lost something precious to him. It wasn’t a walk in the park for a man with temperament such as his, but he simply had to try.

He reached into the bag and took out a knife and an orange. “I figured you’d be bored of apples, so I bought oranges instead,” Kagami smiled. Without waiting for a response, he looked for a flat surface to cut the oranges. Aomine wouldn’t eat even touch it when he was around, but he would always find only one or two slices of fruit left every morning from his visit the day before.The sound of the knife striking against the surface was the only one going against the deadly silence in Aomine’s private chamber.

_“Mr. and Mrs. Aomine, we need your consent to perform amputation on your son’s left leg.”_

Those were the words of a man who sounded like a doctor to Aomine’s parents. They got to the hospital two days after Aomine was found bloody, bruised and broken; abandoned in an unused paper factory as the assaulters flee. The authority had a hard time tracing them to deliver the news, and though Aomine wasn’t estranged by his family, he just wasn’t all that close with them. The doctor and his parents were talking in private when Kagami walked in on them, having just reached the hospital to _see_  Aomine.

_“We have been delaying such procedure because we can’t proceed without family’s consent, as the man is unconscious to do so. The managing team have tried their very best to save him, but the large open wound on his leg has become red and swollen and most likely the infection is spreading the bone. If we wait any longer, the infection will spread to the whole body through blood to his heart, kidneys, and worst; brain. Our antibiotic regime is not working and he’s already showing the signs. If we let this continue to happen, I afraid his body won’t be able to cope, and ….we would have to prepare for the worst possible outcome.”_

Reaching out for the small platter on the bedside table, Kagami ate the one slice of apple from yesterday to make room for the freshly cut oranges and put it next to Aomine. He kept the knife away and turned to face the bed, listening to the sound of Aomine breathing with ease. He was no longer attached to the heart monitor and whatever scary-sounding machine he was attached to, running and pumping when he was in the ICU.

_“Do whatever possible to save our son, doctor. Please.I beg you.”_

The sound of Aomine’s mother pleading, breaking down in the hallway of the hospital still haunted him to this day.

Kagami touched his fingers lightly, carefully avoiding the cannula attached at the back of his hand.

“So guess who called me last night?” queried Kagami without expecting a reply. “It was Tatsuya. It’s really been a while since I talked to him. It was funny because he wasn’t checking on me, but he was asking about you.” Kagami paused, a moment of silence passed by before he continued, trying to keep his tone cheerful. “I don’t even know how he knew. Maybe your parents told Momoi, and maybe she told your old school friends including Murasakibara, and then he told Tatsuya, so Tatsuya kn – ”

“You should go back to Tokyo to live with him,” after days of silent treatment, Aomine’s voice fell hard and heavy on him. What hurt him more was the way Aomine pulled his hand away from underneath his fingers. Kagami folded his fist too tight his knuckle turned as white as the sheet, but he held back his resentment to get Aomine’s justification.

“Why would I need to?”

 “Because I have become less than a man now,” it took a while for Aomine to answer, but he finally answered it. “I can’t keep you safe anymore. I can’t run to you when you need protection. I can’t keep danger aw – ”

The noisy sound of Kagami’s chair falling as he stood was simultaneous with the sound of his palm gracing Aomine’s cheek in high velocity, masking it in the fast passing moment. Aomine’s eyes were widened in disbelief; Kagami’s hand slid down to grab a handful of the green hospital gown and he brought his face closer to Aomine’s.

“I never asked you to protect me,” thundered Kagami, the crushing blow on his soul spilled his disappointment all over. “And I can’t believe that is how you view a disabled person.  _That he less than a man_  just because he has lost certain ability, that was probably caused by something that wasn’t his fault to begin with.” He bit his lips.“I let you do what you did because I want to stay by your side,” Kagami’s grip on the crumpled fabric loosened, slowly letting it go. “Now it’s clear to me that you’re only doing it as an obligation to keep me safe. You’re just like Tatsuya.”

Kagami was never meant to sound so accusing. He wanted to show Aomine’s kindness as much as Aomine had shown him for the past couple of months. But the fact that Aomine was doing it just like everyone else; looking at him as someone that was in need of a protection hurt his pride.

“If I stay here any longer I might end up punching you,” exhaled Kagami coldly as he took a step back. “I’ll come again tomorrow.”

“Wait,” Aomine reached out for his hand, firmly wrapping his fingers on Kagami’s wrist. He halted his steps as Aomine took a sharp breath and winced, the sudden jerk of movement probably caused him pain. “Kagami.”

“Stop moving idiot,” Kagami peeled the fingers on his wrist and put it back by Aomine’s side, but he was quick to hold it again, and this time tighter that Kagami’s skin turned red.

“Kagami. Tell me the truth. What you said…is it true?”

“The fact that you’re acting like Tatsuya? Yes.”

“No. The part where you said you want to stay by my side.”

At the spur of the moment, Kagami didn’t realize what he had said. But there was no point in keeping it hidden anymore; Aomine’s reminder on it steeled his will to make it known. “What if I do?”

A long moment of stillness fell between them both, with only the sound of thunder growling in the distant mountain echoed in the room. It had been an exceptionally cold morning for a summer day, and there were tell tale signs of rain that might ensue later in the afternoon. It seemed like summer was about to come to an end, and perhaps the same thing was happening to Aomine and Kagami; to this unlabelled companionship.

Aomine loosed his grip and muttered low, his usual confidence in his voice was nowhere to be found. “Would you still stay by my side, be with me, even though… I’m imperfect? I can’t play basketball for you anymore, I can’t wa –”

“Ahomine,” Kagami’s tone was hard and sharp. “What year do you think this is? They can build you a robot leg if you want to. Should I feel bad for being imperfect too?” he sighed, but carrying on with saying his thought aloud strongly. “I want to be with you. At least until you found yourself a gi – ”

Kagami was caught off guard when Aomine threw his bandaged arm around his waist and pulling him close, pressing his face on his abdomen. His voice was muffled, but it rippled loud and clear in Kagami’s ears.

“I don’t want any girl. I want you.”

A smile carved its way on Kagami’s face; genuine, sincere. Carefully, Kagami brought his hand and placed it amidst the blue locks and tousled it. He slowed down when his palm brushed against the bandage that was wrapped around Aomine’s head, but he didn’t stop. All these while, they had wasted so many opportunities; limiting themselves because of unseen boundaries when in fact the feeling was mutual.

They both were idiots.

——-

**The end (Almost…)**


	6. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Police officer Aomine Daiki was demoted and stationed at the outskirt of town when he met with the unexpected. Adult AU

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

“No, are you sure  _you’re_  okay?” grunted Kagami in Aomine’s ear as he inserted his third finger inside Kagami, opening him up for an intrusion. Kagami had his arms wrapped firm around his neck, lightly straddling him, probably afraid that the pressure would break Aomine. Literally. Leaning back against the headboard of the bed; Aomine’s suppressing his trembling hand. He was being equally as nervous for their first time together. “I wasn’t the one who was inches away from dying last month. I don’t think this is a good idea. You have 6 broken ribs and an arm fracture, a fractured leg and ….” his words trailed off as he touched the stump of Aomine’s amputated leg.

“I lost a leg. So what. I’d trade my whole body if I knew this is what we needed to be together,” he swallowed hard, but his eyes softened as his gaze fell on the redhead. Although the fact still stung, the self-loath for the damage, for something he had no control over were no longer haunting him. He could never get over it, but with Kagami by his side, he knew he would get through it. Kagami was a living reminder that a person could survive and recoil from unfortunate game of destiny, and without him, Aomine would be a goner.  “We probably wouldn’t have known how we feel about each other if it wasn’t because of this incident.”

Kagami’s ears were visibly red, and some threaten to spill on his cheeks. Beads of perspiration started to form on his forehead. Aomine’s fingers were still actively moving within him, jolting the nerve endings surrounding it, sending a surge of pleasure all over his body. “Stupid Aomine, stop saying embarrassing shit like that. Also, how can you trade your body to be with me? That doesn’t make any sense.”

“It’s just an example, idiot,” Aomine’s braced Kagami’s waist with his half-casted arm and pulled him close, holding himself back from licking the snowy white skin tainted with burn scars at some part. “And I’m not down with your handjob anymore. You made me wait a month, saying it’s ‘for my sake,” Aomine made faces as he said that, mocking the oblivious Kagami. “Guess what, give me what I want for my sake or my balls will burst. That’ll add one more injury to this perfectly awesome body,” he thrust his finger deep Kagami had to work hard in biting back a moan. Aomine took it out and rubbed the tip of his lively cock around the prepared entrance, twitching at the light touch of his tip. He had been waiting forever to get to this stage. It was both their first time being with a man and it felt a little weird; not knowing what to do, where to touch and how to feel, but they were adjusting themselves to each other – because this was what they had been waiting for, what they had been wanting to do, without them realizing it. A smug look took over his face when Kagami’s breaths quickened by the act.

 “You forgot that I have to wait for a month too,” hissed Kagami in Aomine’s ear through gritted teeth; getting more impatient by the moment. “Stop teasing, Aomine.”

Aomine grinned, and he answered Kagami’s demand wordlessly.

In the end, it wasn’t animalistic, it wasn’t perfect, and definitely it wasn’t at all that fantastic; but love was there, love was what they were making, and it was they needed from each other at that moment.

 

\-------------------------------

 

“Take a few steps back. More. Two more steps. Wait, stop. Okay, now jump,” instructed Aomine to Kagami as he sat on his wheelchair he wheeled into the center of the court. Moving his steps as he was told; with one hand dribbling the ball, Kagami bent his knees, gathered all his power, recoiling, letting his feet off the court and already in the air as the ball left his hand – and  _swish!_   The shot he made was perfect. Kagami’s reaction was delayed until he heard the thumping sound of ball against the ring, through the net and bouncing against the floor.

Kagami turned to face Aomine with excitement radiating all over his being. “It got in! Aomine did you see that?! I scored!!” Kagami sounded like a little child who had just learned basketball and scored for the first time in his life, and Aomine couldn’t help but feel like a horrid creature for doing the nasty things they did the night before. Kagami might be a 30 years old ex-fire fighter, but his childlike innocence that borders moronic streak sometimes remained since the first day they met, many years ago. He shook his head and chuckled.

“Of course you did. Look at the person who coached you to do it,” Aomine smiled smugly. “The only one who can teach you is me.”

The redhead just sniggered it off as he walked, closing in the distance between them. “I wanna do it again. I want to jam it in this time.”

“No, replied Aomine flatly. “You’ll break the hoop. You might even take the pole down with you.”

“I won’t!”

“How sure are you?”

“Fairly sure! I’m not sixteen anymore, and most of my muscle bulk are gone anyway,” said Kagami as he poked his biceps with his own finger, with a frown he was probably faking to get Aomine’s sympathy. He recoiled seconds later, the flame of excitement from before not dimming out one bit. “Now point me at the direction of the ball and then coach me to slam dunk it. God, why haven’t we done this sooner?”

 “At the left corner of the court, near the fence,” sighed Aomine in defeat. He realized there was no winning when it comes to Kagami. The court was empty when they got there, and suddenly the redhead came up with the idea of Aomine being his eyes to play basketball again. It was brilliant, but of course he wouldn’t say it out loud. Kagami started to jog his way to the pole, touched it and turned to the direction instructed to get the ball when Aomine raised his voice. “My left, not yours! Go to the opposite side!” Kagami mumbled something incomprehensible but he did what he was told anyway.

Aomine’s sight never left Kagami, not for even a second and he searched for the ball in the darkness clouding him. He could have gotten the ball for Kagami; he wouldn’t be as fast as he was wheelchair bound for the time being, but the redhead would protest against it. And he knew very well not to mess with the devil.

As his gazed fixed on the tall, gallant figure, Aomine’s mind drifted off to earlier this morning. Neither of them wanted to leave the bed, not wanting to leave to comfort and warmth of the person they provide for each other. They woke up to the fact that they have gone into a whole new level in this relationship, and it wasn’t all that awkward. It felt natural, like every other day he had spent with Kagami.

_“I can get used to this,” mouthed Aomine as he planted a kiss on Kagami’s forehead. “Good morning, Disney princess Kagami.”_

_Aomine heard him grumble before something struck him hard and fast against his abdomen. He grunted in pain. “Oww, what was that for?”_

_“Morning greeting for the cockiest Disney prince wannabe,” answered Kagami drowsily with a half smile forming on his face. “He deserves it.”_

_“No fair.”_

_“Yes fair. Also, that is one for my back. It’s hurting. You did not hold back.”_

_Now it was Aomine’s turn to smirk. “Your fault for making me wait for an entire month.”_

_Then they lay there for quite some time in silence; the sound of cars passing by on their way to work slowly came and went, as did the birds with their morning chirps by the open window. The early autumn breeze was so nice compared to the humid summer air, making the act of leaving the warmth of blanket much harder. The tanned male searched for Kagami’s hand underneath the blanket, and entwined Kagami’s fingers with his to pull him close._

_The sound the pillow made as Aomine shifted his head to face Kagami, of fabric grazing against each other was pleasant to his ear._

_“So, what’s next?”_

The sound of his name resounded in his ears brought him back to the future.

“Oi, Aomine!” Kagami called out for him. He was already standing below the hoop. “Tell me what to do!”

_More silence filled the atmosphere for a while, until the bed creaked as Kagami shifted on his side to face Aomine, their faces barely inches away from each other._

_“Well, depends on what you mean by the word ‘next’. If you mean our next course of action for now, we should really get up to go for your physiotherapy or we’ll be late. If by ‘next’ you mean the future, you can move in here if you want to. You practically live here already, most of the useful stuff from your apartment is here. We can get a bigger bed. And since you have to wait till you fully recover before getting a prosthetic leg, maybe you can work with me. I don’t know if I can trust you with the pastries decoration; no offense, but surely you can knead dough properly. If you suck real bad though then maybe you can sit with my boss and learn how to manage a bakery and when I have enough money to open my own you can help manage it and – ” Kagami’s excitement suddenly truncated with a low ‘oh’ at the end, with a glimpse of disappointment passing through his face._

_Aomine was perplexed. “What ‘oh’?”_

_“Of course you’d go back to your old job in Tokyo once you’re okay. They’re going to want to have you back after what happened the other day, how you endured it and all. I feel so silly,” added the redhead with a masked twinge of sadness. “Forget I said anything. Now let’s go get dressed, get you to go for a physiotherapy and watch some kids play basketball later.”_

“Just face forward, take a step to your right and jump,” commanded Aomine. “Maybe one more step to the right. Okay stop right there, wait Bakagami do not – ” the squeaky sound Kagami’s shoes made cut his words off, followed by the sound of the ball thudding against the court after an aggressive dunk through the hoop.

After punching the air for that glorious shot he made, Kagami threw a sideway grin to Aomine, one that stretched from one ear to another. “I told you I won’t break it.”

Looking at the Kagami being in high spirits, Aomine decided to follow suit. There was no way he was going to let Kagami have all the fun. He wheeled his wheel chair to collect the ball that was bouncing in his direction, the ball striking hard against the ground as he dribbled; one, two, three – and  _swoosh!_  The ball went in after a formless shoot from where he was sitting. There was no stopping a genius, not even a disability. Kagami’s ears twitched at the sound of a shot being made and now all his teeth were showing.

“Hey, Kagami,” Aomine called out his name lightly, while Kagami was already walking his way towards him. He sat crossed leg on the floor next to Aomine on his wheelchair.

“Yeah?”

“Just so you know, I’m not going anywhere.”

A brief silent swept over the moment. “What about your old job in Tokyo?”

“I’ve gotten a better offer here. A manager at a bakery downtown that’ll open soon. Benefits include lifelong supply of good food and less-than-annoying company,” said Aomine as he studied the other male’s face. “What do you think?”

“I think it sounds great,”the look of worry and doubt on Kagami’s face had come to pass, replaced by a beaming smile that could be felt from miles away, too infectious Aomine wounded up grinning too.

Aomine was alive but barely breathing, he was breathing but barely living. This was the small town he thought was dull, the slow-paced environment that could have ended him ironically had brought him to life. Just like the stars aligned in perfectlyduring its designated time to form a beautiful zodiac, his life event happened the way when it was supposed to happen so it would lead him to his fate; the reason beyond, the bigger picture.

It was all to bring him to his missing half. And for that, he was thankful.

**FIN**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It started as a fic for Kagaao day (10/5), but it took me half a year to get it done. I’m so sorry u.u; Nevertheless, thank you for sticking around until the end. I’m touched for all the messages and reviews I’ve gotten for this fic :’D Happy new year 2014, everyone!


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